Watch Michael Nutter Perform ‘Rapper’s Delight’ One Last Time as Philly’s Mayor
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter Matt Rourke / AP Photo
The 1979 Sugarhill Gang hit was a regular presence during his time at City Hall.
The New Year has brought a new mayor to Philadelphia. A longtime councilmember, Jim Kenney, is taking over for term-limited Michael Nutter, who is leaving City Hall after 24 years—16 as a member of the City Council and eight as the top elected official in the nation’s fifth-largest city.
In an exit interview with Daily News columnist Ronnie Polaneczky, Nutter candidly discusses everything from his use of profanity, work-family balances and being in the spotlight during times of crisis.
Polaneczky also asked about something more lighthearted: Nutter’s love of The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight.” He’s performed the 1979 hit on multiple occasions as mayor , perhaps most famously during last year’s July Fourth celebration, where he joined The Roots on stage—and dropped the mic. (He was described as America’s “ coolest mayor ” for this.)
According to the Daily News :
We've seen Ed Rendell scrub toilets in City Hall and jump into city pools. We've seen you charm audiences with "Rapper's Delight." And Mayor-elect Jim Kenney isn't in office yet but —God help us—we've already seen him in a Buddy the Elf costume. Is it important for the public to see a mayor get his goofy on?
No matter how many times I've done "Rapper's Delight," people are always like, "He dropped the mic!" [chuckles] One of the big challenges with this job is that there's no pleasant face you can put on when you're talking about a shooting or about kids not getting a great education. So the "up" moments are less public than the serious ones.
I think there are moments when people want to see the mayor happy. But it's a fine line.
That’s a good way of looking at the tough job public officials face balancing their professional responsibilities with the need to also blow off some steam and not be so buttoned up all the time.
At his going-away party on Saturday, Nutter performed “Rapper’s Delight” one last time as mayor , with the Sugarhill Gang joining him.
Michael Grass is Executive Editor of Government Executive’s Route Fifty.
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